Firm supports two-man fundraisers with half a million-pound effort

A Yorkshire-based two-man fundraising duo has raised almost half a million pounds with the support from a local Huddersfield-based business.

Linthwaite-based Arrow Self Drive has been supporting the small team at Redwood Events for the past three years, helping them generate over £180,000 for local and national causes.

Redwood Events, comprising of Mike Wilson and Steve Wood, have organised and run events including sports walks and cycle rides to help raise money for a number of charities and individuals since 2007.

Over the past 11 years, they have raised a staggering £415,000.

Charities which have benefited include The Stroke Association, Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice, BBC Children in Need, Candlelighters, the Alzheimer's Society, Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Hillsborough Justice Campaign, the Hillsborough Family Support Group, Save the Children, the Overgate Hospice in Halifax, The Hospice of the Good Shepherd in Chester and Mental Health UK.

Mike and Steve (affectionately known as Woody) have full time jobs and undertake their charity work voluntarily in their spare time with very little reward or recognition.

They have also worked with companies including Lloyds Banking Group, NBS Wakefield and HBOS to arrange and run various events.

The duo set up a website to showcase their events and acts as a guide to participants. They organise all the routes, timings, logistics, fundraising pages, registration forms, walking shirts and they even drive the minibus support vehicle, sometimes for 48 hours straight.

They are an inspirational pair, with great enthusiasm and skill, managing small and large teams with ease and encouraging donations from across the country.

Mike comments on why they continue to offer this service for free where others profit from the same skills;

“It doesn’t feel right accepting payment for what we do; if we take any cash we are only too aware that we are taking money away from our chosen charities, and to be honest, that goes against the grain. We are just happy to get a hoody out of each event, you should see my wardrobe and the collection I have built up over the years!”

Their most recent event was a 48-hour non-stop coast to coast walk from The Deep in Hull to the Pier Head and took place on April 6th, 7th and 8th 2018.

The Lois Lanes fundraiser aimed to raise £7000, enough money to buy a wheelchair transporter bike for Lois Huntingdon, with any spare cash going to the Forget Me Not Children's Hospice, where Lois has spent valuable time and her family have received fantastic support from their amazing staff. The money is still coming in and to date the event has raised over £20,000. The funds will ensure that Lois receives her bike and The Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice is currently on track to get £12800 plus, with £15000 not an impossible prediction.

Arrow Self Drive has provided a much-needed minibus for the event and with additional sponsorship coming from the Cinnamon Lounge, BPC Fixings and Ossett Brewery.

James Hill, managing director of Arrow Self Drive said:

“We are very proud of our partnership with Redwood Events. We think they deserve a medal for the work they do and want to take this opportunity to congratulate them on their most recent success with Lois Lanes as well as all their previous fundraising efforts.”

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About

Arrow Self Drive started in Huddersfield in 1988 and is a family run business with the aim of becoming the No 1 provider of vehicle hire in Yorkshire. From its humble beginnings the company has continued to steadily grow and today boasts a fleet of almost 2,000 rental vehicles with eight branches across Yorkshire and close to 100 staff on team.

The success of Arrow Self Drive is due to the firm’s straightforward approach, personal service and focus on customer service excellence.

The senior management team continue to steer the organisation and ensure that the business stays true to its Yorkshire values and maintain a personal approach as they expand into the future.